The Sierra Leone Network on the Right to Food (SiLNoRF) with support from its partners has officially launched a Le15 billion “Better Livelihood Project (BLP)” that is geared towards alleviating the living condition of the inhabitants of the Addax/Sunbird communities.
The project launch which took place last Wednesday at the Pastoral Centre, Makeni was graced by eminent personalities including the Country Director of Wealth Hunger Hilfe (WHH), Madam Ursula Langkamp and representatives from various line Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The project emanated as a result of the consultant monitoring of SiLNoRF on the negative consequences of the operations of Addax/Sunbird Bio-energy on the livelihood of the rural inhabitants in those communities. The project is going to be implemented in the Mara, Makari and Bombali Sebora Chiefdoms in Bombali district.
The National Coordinator, Mohamed Sorie Conteh, said the organization’s journey started way back in 2008, advocating for people’s rights in particular, the right to food and land governance; at some point engaging and mobilizing communities.
Conteh pointed out that initially, they were against the approach and mode of investment by Development Banks in Europe to invest in Addax/Sunbird Bio-energy Company. “We strongly believed that if a fraction of the money given to that entity is invested on poor rural farmers to do agriculture, it will create more impact and benefit to the people of Sierra Leone,” he emphased.
Giving an overview of the project, the Head of Programs (HoP), Lansana H. Sowa highlighted the different components within the Le15 Billion Better Livelihood Project and the amount allocated to the various aspects. He said that they are going to establish structures at community and chiefdom levels; and empower farmers in order for the project to be a success.
Sowa said that the three years project is going to be implemented in three chiefdoms, targeting 37 communities and 25 household head farmers, resulting to 925 direct beneficiaries.
“We are going to dig six boreholes, construct three farmer-base centers (FBOs) and fortify them with machineries, construct dry floors, provide tricycles, and tractors to clear, plow and arrow the plots,” Sowa said.
He said over and above that, they are going to provide them with seedlings and also train 150 women on vegetable garden and supply them with seeds.
The WHH Country Director, Ursula Langkamp explained that the WHH commenced operations in Sierra Leone in 2004 in the area of right to food, waste management, skills development, water and sanitation, gender and land governance, among others.
She commended the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) on the formulation of policies and implementation of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Land Governance Tenure (VGGT). She said, they still have a long way to go especially at district level, citing Addax/Sunbird Bio-energy as an example.
Lanka, as she is popularly known, pointed out that, SiLNoRF, an offspring of Mankind Activities for Development Accreditation Movement (MADAM), approached them to intervene in the Addax/Sunbird Bio-energy communities and eventually secured the sum of 1.5 Million Euro for the project.
The project is gear toward building the capacity of local farmers with the aim of multiplying food production. She called on all to put hands on deck to make the project a success.
PC Bai Biroh Maboleh N’sheni III of Mara Chiefdom said when he acceded the throne, he was hoodwinked to believe that SiLNoRF is not working in the interest of his subjects but rather to create chaos and mischief between the chiefdom (host community) and Addax/Sunbird Bio-energy.
PC said that following series of meetings he attended, he came to realize that SiLNoRF’s objective seeks to promote the interest and human rights of the poor people.
He noted that, SiLNoRF was identifying and highlighting the odds of the company, and protect the interest of the people for which he commended them for their good work and development strides over the years.
Also a statement was made by Abu Bakarr S. Kanu on behalf of the Affected Land Owners and Users Association (AfLOUA).
SiLNoRF is a network of 16 civil society organizations (CSOs), and is a member of the African Network on the Right to Food (ANoRF) formed in 2008 which is a global platform with the aim of promoting the right to food and land governance.
17/03/2021. ISSUE NO: 8022